ROCKFORD, Ill. - St. Norbert College junior running back
Jacob McVane's historic day was a key factor in the Green Knights' 28-14 win over Rockford University in a Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference game at Sam Greeley Field.
McVane's 82-yard kickoff return for a touchdown helped keep the Green Knights on pace with the host Regents. It marked the first time in school history a St. Norbert player has returned a kickoff for a touchdown in consecutive games. McVane (pictured) returned a kickoff 88 yards for a score against Wisconsin Lutheran College on Sept. 26.
St. Norbert forced a Rockford punt on the game's opening possession and needed just five plays to move 66 yards to score on a 47-yard touchdown pass from
Tanner Hora to
Adam Westberg. Rockford then marched 75 yards in 13 plays to tie the game on a 5-yard touchdown pass from Ryan Vasavilbaso to Kenny Moten-Barden. McVane then returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown, with a blocked extra point keeping the lead at 13-7. St. Norbert's defense didn't get much rest thanks to the quick score, with Rockford then moving 81 yards in six plays to score on a 9-yard touchdown from Vasavilbaso to Justin Winkler for a 14-13 Rockford lead.
Both teams traded possessions to open the second quarter before the Green Knights capped off a nine-play, 66-yard drive on a 29-yard touchdown pass from Hora to Westberg with 4:16 left before halftime. St. Norbert carried a 20-14 lead into halftime.
Both teams traded punts throughout a scoreless third quarter. St. Norbert took advantage of a short Rockford punt early in the fourth quarter and moved 64 yards on eight plays, capitalizing on a 43-yard scramble by Francisco Rodriguez to convert a third-and-20, by scoring on a McVane 6-yard touchdown run with 6:18 left. Westberg's two-point conversion catch gave St. Norbert a 28-14 lead.
Rockford outgained St. Norbert 383-307. McVane finished with 159 rushing yards on 31 carries and totaled 241 all-purpose yards. Westberg caught four passes for 93 yards and two touchdowns.
Vasavilbaso led Rockford, completing 24 of 51 passes for 354 yards and two touchdowns.
Nick Junge led the St. Norbert defense with five tackles. St. Norbert had 11 passes broken up, with
John Seitz posting three while
Mateo Gonzalez,
Cory Burton and
Beau Allison all getting two apiece.
